“‘We are not surprised that female motorcycle ownership is at an all-time high, what with the work we’ve done to expand women’s presence in motorcycling,’ reports Motoress. A survey (2015) done by the American Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC); Motorcycle Owner Survey found that women account for 14% of all U.S. motorcycle owners. This is up from the 8% reported in 1998. It’s really no surprise, that’s nearly two decades ago.”

Targeting prospective customers solely by age group has fallen out of fashion as marketers have been able to more clearly identify audience attributes in recent years. Age does matter in some circumstances, though, especially in terms of the relationships consumers have with brands. The GfK Brand Benchmark Study reveals that Gen X and Gen Y consumers value brands differently, largely because of the current life stage they are in, and smart marketers are seeking specific kinds of relationships to maximize revenue with these potential customers.

Value and practicality are at the core of any shopping experience, but beyond the basics, shoppers are looking for self identification and novelty. Moreover, retail relevance factors vary significantly by age with the biggest difference between Gen Y and Boomers. For the next generation of shoppers, shareability of the experience is much more important, as the ideal shopping experience is both self-affirming and social.

Consumers at all income levels have been splurging on indulgences while paring down on many basic household expenses, according to industry data for the last year. Analysts suggest these changes could signal a permanent change in consumer buying patterns. Indeed, the changes and challenges represented in this new kind of consumer will continue to keep retailers on their toes and, perhaps, force them to rethink how they approach their business.

It’s too soon to know if Social Security will be around to provide a safety net to the youngest employees in the work force. But retirement planning experts see trouble on the horizon with respect to the fiscal planning taking place by members of the Gen Y demographic, those who are currently between the ages of 18-30. Financial advisors can start working now with employers to help guide employees to the right strategies for retirement saving.

According to a new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Retail Forward, consumer spending in the months ahead will be shaped by the values of tech-loving Gen Y, and to a lesser degree, affluent members of Gen X. Unlike recovery periods in previous decades, Boomers will not lead the way in consumer spending. There are considerable generational differences; among Gen Y consumers, between 18 and 27 for this report, just 25% say the economy has significantly changed their shopping behavior. Among Gen X, it’s 36%, and among Boomers, 37%. Retailers need to adapt their strategies to appeal to this new generation of consumers.

Nearly one-half of Generation Y Internet users planned to sign up for a new financial account in the next year, according to research from financial technology provider Fiserv. They are also more likely than any other generation to consider switching banks and to recommend their primary bank to others, making them an attractive target for financial services marketers. With 80% of Gen Y Web users banking online, they are comfortable performing financial transactions and lead the way among consumers making online the top banking method in the US.